Translating apparatus



Oct. 25, 1932. J, BROWN 1,883,875

TRANSLATING APPARATUS Filed June 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Myron J Brown.

" 'ATi'ORNEY Oct 25, 1932.- M. J. BROWN TRANSLATING APPARATUS Filed June 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Myron J. Brown.

' ATTORNEY;

Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MYRON J. BROWN, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA TRANSLATING APPARATUS Application filed June 16,

My invention relates to translating apparatus and has particular relation to apparatus provided for reproducing, in permanent form, printed and written matter.

Reproducing devices constructed according to the teachings of the prior art, with which I am familiar, comprise chiefly a system of conducting type adapted to be inserted in an insulating block in any desired manner. A conducting finger passes over the type and completes a relay circuit therethrough to cause an engraving device associated with the moving element of the relay circuit to reproduce the characters of the type.

The disadvantages of this system of reproducing printed matter are obvious. The designs and characters that it is possible to reproduce are limited to the type available.

'1' It is, therefore under ordinary circumstances, not possible to duplicate pictures, designs, si 'natures or written matter with such a system. Moreover, apparatus of this type does not readily lend itself to rapid "i duplication, since considerable time is required for setting the type.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide duplicating apparatus wherein a type system is not necessary.

Another object of my invention is to provide reproducing apparatus wherein the original characters are written or printed on a comparatively inexpensive medium.

A further object of my invention is to ".l provide reproducing apparatus that is simple in its structure and that has considerable universality in the range of its application.

A' more specific object of my invention is to provide apparatus for reproducing signa- *".I tures.

1930. Serial No. 481,617.

hiiore concisely stated, it is an object of my invention to provide simple and inexiensive apparatus for reproducing and for transmitting written and printed matter wherein the original characters are impressed in unrelieved form on a simple and inexpensive medium, such as paper, and the copy is impressed, either in relieved or in unrelieved form, on any desirable medium.

According to my invention, I provide duplicating pparatus wherein the original design is impressed on an insulating surface with a conducting ink. The surface is scanned by a plurality of fingers insulated from each other and respectively connected to he control electrode and to the anode of a 'rid-glow tube. The grid-glow tube, in real-:ing down in response to the conducting urrent passing through the ink, causes a "clay, in the principal circuit thereof, to actu- .to an engraving device on a surface on which he copy of the design is reproduced.

In a modification of my invention, I provide a circuit wherein the fingers are connected in such relation to the grid-glow tube that the grid-cathode voltage impressed on the tube varies in phase in accordance with the thicnn as of t 1e ink in which the original characters are impressed. Since the voltage between the anode and cathode is selected to be constant in phase, the variation of the gridcathode voltage has the eifect of varying the current through the relay and, therefore, varying the strength of the impulse with which the copy is reproduced.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organize ion and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the orincipal features of an embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a view, in front elevation, of the relay user in the apparatus,

Fig. 3 is a View, in end elevation, of the relay,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic drawing of the electrical system utilized in a second modification of my invention,

Fig. 5 is a vector diagram that will be used in explaining the action of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is agraph that will be used in explaining the action of the circuit shown in Fig. 4, and,

Fig. 7 i a schematic illustration of means for utilizing my invention to transmit written or printed matter.

The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a cylinder 1, which is driven by a motor 3, at a predetermined speed, through a system of gearing 5, and on the surface of which a web 7 of insulating material, such as paper, celluloid or cloth is wrapped. A group of characters 9, of any desired nature, is impressed on the surface of the web 7 with a conducting ink, such as India drawing ink or even the graphite of a lead pencil, and is adapted to be reproduced on a second web 11 of any desired nature situated on the surface of the drum ladjacent to the first web 7.

An elongated screw 13 is disposed adjacent to the drum 1 and is rotated, by the prime mover 3, through a suitable belt or chain 15. It is to be noted that the drive 15 must be positive, since any lag in the drive member behind the prime mover would destroy the arrangement of the characters on the web. The screw 13 traverses threaded holes in a plurality of carriages '1'? and 19 and thus advances these in a longitudinal directionas it is rotated. The carriages 17 and 19 are positioned on the screw 13 opposite to the original web 7 and the duplicate web 11, respectively, and are adapted to coact therewith to reproduce, on the copy web 11, the characters present on the original web 7.

A plurality of fingers 21 and 23 are fastened to points on the surface of the carriage 17 adjacent to the original web 7 to make contact with the surface thereof. The fingers,

1 and 23, however, are not in contact with each other but are separated by a narrow gap. As the drum 1 and the screw 13 are rotated, the fingers trace a helix on the surface of the web 7.

One finger 21 is connected directly to the control electrode 24 of a grid-glow tube 27 while the other finger 23 is connected to the anode 29 of the tube 27 through a high impedance 31. I have found that, in practice, a resistance of approximately one megohm, connected between the finger and the anode, yields satisfactory results.

A relay 33, of a type that will be described in detail below, is mounted on the second carriage 19, and an engraving device 35, of a suitable type, is mounted on the moving element 3'7 of the relay and projects over the surface of the copy web 11, being capable of moving into contact therewith when the relay 33 is excited.

The engraving device 35 may be of any suitable type, such as an actual cutting edge, an electrolytic contactor or simply a receptacle containing ink. I have found that a tube, having a capillary end from which ink can be absorbed by the copy web when it makes contact therewith, yields satisfactory results.

An electrolytic contactor well adapted to be used for reproducing may comprise a copy web impregnated with a colorless compound which is capable of precipitating a colored solid under the action of an electric current. A solution containing silver nitrate has been found to act satisfactorily for this purpose.

The relay 33, used in connection with apparatus of a type shown in Fig. 1, may be of the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and comprises a plurality of arms 39 and 41, on the middle one 41 of which a coil 43 is mounted. The terminal arms 39 are flexible and are bridged by a metallic member 37 that, under ordinary circumstances, does not touch the central member 41 but is attracted thereto when a current flows in the coil 43. The engraving device 35, is mounted on the bridging member 37.

One terminal 45 of the coil 43 of the relay is directly connected to the anode 29 of the grid-glow tube 27, and the remaining terminal-47 of the coil of the relay is connected to the cathode 49 of the tube 27 through an impedance 51, which is in series with the secondary 53 of a transformer 55 that transmits power for operating the system. While the proper design and relative magnitudes of the various components of the systems here described is well within the skill of those trained in the art, I may state that, for many purposes, I have found that an impedance of approximately 15,000 ohms, connected between a 440 volt secondary 53 of the power supply transformer 55 and one terminal 47' of the relay coil 43, may be made to yield satisfactory results. For best results, the period of the current in the transformer should be small in comparison with the time required for the fingers to respond to a single conducting element.

The mode of operation of the above-described system is as follows. By reason of the fact that the gap between the fingers 21 and 23 is electrically closed when the fingers pass over the conducting ink, the difference of potential between the anode 29 and the control electrode 24 of the grid-glow tube 27 is decreased, and a current flowsv through the tube and through the relay coil 43 to actuate the movable element 37 of the relay and operate the cngraving element 35.

It is to be noted that the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is rather specific in its form andis givenmerely by way of illustrating the principles of my invention. I do not, of course, Wish to be limitedto the specific structure shown. Thus, while the copy web 11, shown in the drawing, is substantially like the original web 7, it would still be but a modification of my invention to make the two webs considerably different in form.

The cylinder on which the copy web 11 is wound may, for example, be considerably smaller in diameter than the cylinder on which the original web is mounted. With slight modifications of the apparatus, moreover, it may be adapted to accommodate an independent cylinder, such as a fountain pen, or even a metallic plate, such as is used in printing, and the apparatus may, with facility, be applied to engrave a name on the surface of such an object.

It is, moreover, well to point out that more than one. copy web may be disposed on the cylinder 1.

It is, furthermore, to .be noted that the system comprising fingers 21 and 23, gridglow tube 27, impedances 31 and 51 and transformer 55 may, if desired, be mounted on a single carriage. If the apparatus is of the type shown in the drawing, that is, if the copy cylinder is placed adjacent to the original cylinder, the relay and its appurtenances may also be mounted on the same carriage.

Again, it is well to point out that, in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the control electrode of the grid-glow tube is provided with an actual conducting leakage path. The state of excitation of a grid-glow tube may also be exchanged by a variation in a capacity disposed between its control electrode and one of its principal electrodes. A pair of fingers or a single finger may easily be adapted to accomplish such purpose.

A system operating by variable capacity is rather useful in the transmission of a system of dots and dashes of a telegraphic code. It is, moreover, to be noted that the capacitysystem of picking up the characters may be applied with advantage to a system wherein the characters are in relief.

Moreover, my invention should not be restrictedto include only a tube which is normally inactive and it should not be restricted to include only an insulating web wherein the characters are conducting. It is obvious that, with slight modifications, apparatus may be constructed according to my invention wherein the written or printed matter is recorded in insulated ink on a conducting web.

Again, it should be noted that a single contact member may be used for scanning rather than two separated fingers. Such a scanning device is particularly adapted to a system wherein the original matter is impressed in insulating ink on a conducting cylinder.

Finally, the copy web may be a sensitive photographicstrip on which the material that is being copied may be reproduced with a glow tube or other device that emits radiotrons in instantaneous response to variations in an electric current associated therewith.

In the diagram shown in Fig. 4, the electrical arrangement of a duplicating system, of a type wherein differences in shading'are reproduced, is shown. In the apparatus con structed according to this modification of my invention, the cathode 49 ofthe grid-glow tube 27 is connected to the electrical center 57 of the secondary 53 of the, transformer 55, whereby power is supplied to the system.

The fingers 21 and 23, connected between the cathode 29 and the control electrode 24 of the grid-glow tube in Fig. 1, and the impedance of the ink associated therewith, are symbolized in the drawing by a variable impedance59,connected between one terminal 61 of the secondary 53 of the transformer 55 and the control electrode 24 of the grid-glow tube 27. The reproducing equipment, symbolized in the drawing by a rectangle 63, is connected to the remaining terminal 65 of the secondary 53 of the transformer 55 directly and to the anode 29 of the grid-glow tube 27 through an impedance 67 Another impedance 69 that is shown in the drawing as a capacitor is connected between the control electrode 24 and the common, terminal 65 of the secondary of the transformer and the conductor 71 leading from the reproducing equipment 63. It is obvious that, by a rearrangement of the wiring, the impedance 69 may be made an inductance.

The vector diagram shown in Fig. 5 illustrates the electrical relation between the voltage of the circuit shown in Fig. 4, before the tube breaks down.

E is the voltage from the mid-tap 57 of the secondary 53 of the transformer 55 to its lower terminal 65, and, therefore, for an open-circuit condition, the voltage between the cathode 4:9 and the anode 29 of the tube 27.

E is the voltage between the cathode 49 and the grid 24, g

E. is the voltage drop across the variable impedance 59,

E is the voltage drop across the condenser 69, and,

E is the total drop in voltage across the secondary 53 of the transformer 55. I

It is to be noted that the vector diagram expresses the relation between the voltages dictated by Kirchoffs first law. It is, furthermore, obvious that, as the resistance r increases, the phase angle between E and E decreases.

Since the grid 24 must be at a predeter mined potential, relative to the cathode, before the tube breaks down, the phase shift of the grid-cathode voltage relative to the anode-cathode voltage causes a shift in the anode-cathode voltage at which breakdown takes place. Again, since the passage of the tube current stops as soon as the'anode-cathod'e voltage changes polarity, the average current which flows through the tube is varied by the shiftin thegrid'voltage.

In Fig.- 6, this phenomenon is illustrated graphically. A curve 7 3, having a predetermined amplitude, represents the potential drop between the anode 29 and the cathode 49, while a full-line curve of smaller amplitude represents the'grid-cathode voltage. The latter has a predetermined phase lag relative to the former. A broken-line curve 77 of amplitude equivalent to the grid-voltage amplitude represents a grid-voltage with a smaller lag in phase relative to the anodecathode Voltage. A horizontal line 7 9 above the aXis of abscissa 81 represents the gridcathode-voltage at which the breakdown takes place for an anode-cathode voltage of proper polarity.

As can be seen from the position and magnitude of the shaded area 83, which represents the portion of the anode-cathode voltage curve over which current flows through the tube, the value of the voltage and the time during which the current flows is predetermined by the relative phase of the anode voltage and the grid voltage. It is obvious, from the system of curves, that more power is transmitted to the engraving relay 33 for thesmaller phase lag of the two voltages than for the larger phase lag.

In Fig; 1, apparatus of'a type wherein the original web is in proximity to the copy web is shown. In Fig. 7, apparatus of a type Whereinthe matter impressed on the original Web is transmitted, is illustrated.

The equipment shown in the drawing comprises, in addition to the pickup apparatus shown in Fig. 1,a generator 85 of carrierfrequency current and of synchronizing'current that is'impressed together with the signal arising in the pickup on a sending antenna 87.- The receiving station is equipped with a receiving antenna 89 and with a suitable demodulator and synchronizing equipment 98. Y

At the receiving station, the written or printed matter on the original web 7 is impressed on a web 11 in substantially the same manner as it is impressed in apparatusof the type shown in Fig, '1'.

' It should be'noted here, have-specifically shown and described a wireless system of' transmission, it is Within the scope of equivalents of my invention to substitute, for the wireless system, a wired system.

It willbe recognizedthat my inventionis not limited to the method of traversing the original picture through mounting it upon a rotating cylinder, but that any system in which'all points in a given field are made to successively vary the output current of an electric-dischargetube, and this current is that, although I caused' to correspondingly vary the transparency of a du licate of this series of points on an imprint-iileld is within the purview of my invention. I

Specifically,it will be recognized that,while I describe a cold-cathode grid-controlled glow-tube as the preferred form of discharge device, such a contrivance is but one form of control-potential governed electrical-discharge device, and that, for certain purposes, grid-controlled hot-cathode discharge tubes, grid-controlled mercury arc tubes or triodes may be preferable.

Likewise, to produce the variations in intensity of the copy, any method of varying the control-potential may supplant the variation of impedance of a shunt between the grid and other electrodes that is specifically described hereinabove.

Although I have shown and described cer tain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention therefore is not to be restricted, except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Reproducing apparatus comprising a surface that is partly conducting and partly insulating, a plurality of fingers coacting with said surface and capable of moving relative thereto, a source of alternating voltage, a grid-glow tube having principal electrodes connected to said source and a control means adapted to control current flow between said principal electrodes responsive to the condition of the surface between said fingers, and image-reproducing means responsive to said current flow.

2. Translating apparatus comprising means for supporting a surface having thereon asystem of characters to be reproduced, an electric discharge device containing a gas at a pressure of over one micron, including a control electrode and a plurality of principal electrodes, means for connecting successive elements of said surface between said control electrodes and one of said principal electrodes, a source of alternating electromotive force for producing a current between said principal electrodes, and reproducing means responsive to the current between said principal electrodes.

8. Translating apparatus comprising means for supporting a surface having thereon characters to be reproduced, an electric discharge device containing a gas at a pressure of over one micron, including a control electrode and a plurality of principal electrodes, a source of periodic electrom'otive force, means for connecting said source of electromotive force between said control electrode and one of said principal electrodes through successive elements of said surface, another source of periodic electromotive force, means for disconnecting said second source of electromotive force between said principal electrodes, and reproducing means responsive to current flow.

4:. Translating apparatus comprising means for supporting a surface having thereon a system of characters to be reproduced, an

electric discharge device containing a gas at a pressure of over one micron, including a control electrode and a plurality of principal electrodes, means for impressing a periodic electromotive force between said principal electrodes to produce a current therebetween, means for impressing another periodic electromotive force between one of said principal electrodes and said control electrode, means responsive to the conductivity of elementary areas of said surface for shifting the phase of said first named electromotive force relative to said other electromotive force and thereby to vary the magnitude of the current between said principal electrodes, and translating means responsive to the current be tween said principal electrodes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of June, 1930.

MYRON J. BROWN. 

